Building a Life
by HappyAbby
Summary: A touching and at times humorous look at Carter and Abby's growth from a new couple into a young family.
1. Default Chapter

Abby took a look at herself in the mirror. It had been a long, tortuous day of beauty rituals. Abby  
  
had showered for 45 minutes, using ridiculously expensive scented shower gel and scrubbing herself  
  
inside and out. She was sure that she had put her loofah in places it probably had never been before.   
  
She had waxed every inch of her body until she was as smooth as the day she was born. She had  
  
shampooed, deep conditioned, and blow-dried her hair, and then furthered the abuse by dousing with all manner of sprays,  
  
and sizzling it with a scorching hot curling iron. Her face had been tweezed and  
  
powdered, her lips were painted with "Ripened Cherry", which sounded like it should taste good,  
  
but it didn't.   
  
She remembered the last time that she had slaved this hard over her appearance. It was when she  
  
was a senior in high school, preparing for her Spring Formal. When she had emerged from her  
  
bedroom in her lavender chiffon gown, Maggie had beamed. "This is the most beautiful you have  
  
ever looked in your life," she said, wiping away tears as she proudly snapped pictures. Abby, being  
  
a typical 17-year-old, had rolled her eyes, embarrassed by her mother's overt enthusiasm and  
  
affection. Now, at 30-something, she had a strange feeling that if Maggie were here to gush over her  
  
again, she wouldn't really mind it so much.   
  
Abby sucked in a deep breath as she pulled on control-top panty hose. She fiddled with her strapless  
  
bra, at the same time wondering why in the world she bothered wearing such a ridiculous  
  
undergarment. It wasn't supporting anything and would probably end up creeping down to her  
  
stomach over the course of the evening. She slid into her strapless black dress and once again held  
  
her breath as she struggled to pull up the zipper. Finally dressed, she stood in front of her full length  
  
mirror to survey the fruit of her labor.   
  
"Not bad," she whispered to herself. "As long as I don't breathe for the rest of the night, I should be  
  
just fine." As uncomfortable as her outfit was, and as much as she was embarrassed to admit it, she  
  
was secretly proud of the way she looked. Her dress, a slim, black, strapless column, hugged her  
  
curves tightly. The curling iron had produced perfect waves in her silky hair, and the make-up  
  
played up her best features. Her eyes looked large and luminous, her lips pouty and full. The  
  
doorbell rang, shocking her back into the moment. She tossed her hair, straightened her dress, and  
  
clicked through the apartment on high heels to answer the door.   
  
Carter was dumbfounded as she threw open the door. She was breathtaking. His jaw dropped, and  
  
words escaped him. Abby grinned and took over for him.   
  
"Hi, Carter. You look great," she said. He truly did, dressed in a quietly expensive tuxedo.   
  
"Yeah...um...wow..." he stammered, fumbling for words. "You look...amazing."  
  
"Thanks," she smiled. "Ready to go?" Carter stared silently. Abby was pleased. It was nice to  
  
know that her hard work hadn't gone unnoticed.   
  
"Um, Carter?" she prompted.   
  
"Oh...yeah, let's go." Abby pulled a black silk wrap around her bare shoulders and they headed out.   
  
Carter tried to get his head out of the clouds as he helped Abby into the limo. He didn't want to  
  
come across as a bumbling idiot on their first real date. They had been out for coffee a couple of  
  
times. She had invited him over and ordered pizza once. And of course, there was the infamous  
  
"dinosaurs and dancing" at the museum. But after a month or so of these "non-dates", as he thought  
  
of them, he wanted to treat her to dinner at a nice restaurant.   
  
The short ride to the restaurant was pleasant, but basically silent. They exchanged some idle small  
  
talk, but there was a tangible tension between them. It was as if these two close friends were  
  
suddenly strangers. It was slightly uncomfortable, but it also added some excitement, some  
  
electricity, to the evening.   
  
The limo pulled to a stop in front of an elegant restaurant. Carter leaned over to help Abby out of  
  
the car. It was no easy feat for Abby to get out of the limo in her short, tight dress, but she clamped  
  
her legs together and slid across the seat, trying to duck out as gracefully as possible.   
  
The maitre'd took Carter and Abby directly to their table. Heads turned as the other diners watched  
  
the beautiful couple make their way across the restaurant. The maitre'd pulled Abby's chair out for  
  
her. He offered to take her wrap for her, and as she sat down, she slid it from her shoulders and  
  
handed it to him. When she removed the wrap, she instantly felt that something was terribly,  
  
horribly wrong.   
  
It wasn't the shocked looks on the faces of Carter and the maitre'd that told her. It wasn't even the  
  
slight gasp she heard from the lady at the next table over, or the soft chuckle from said lady's dinner  
  
date. It was the slightly airy, open feeling just south of her neck that tipped her off. She glanced  
  
downward, and her suspicions were verified. Her left breast had spilled out of the top of her dress  
  
and was now sitting glaringly naked in front of the entire restaurant.  
  
Abby turned fifteen different shades of red and tugged at her top. The maitre'd had the grace and  
  
courtesy to quickly drape her wrap back over her shoulders and walk away from the table with his  
  
eyes averted. Carter, having recovered from the shock, was now desperately biting the insides of his  
  
cheeks to keep from laughing. He wasn't having much success.   
  
"Stop it," Abby hissed.   
  
"I'm...sorry...I..." Carter chortled. His eyes were tearing at the effort to keep the laughter at bay.   
  
"I want to get out of here," Abby whispered. She was nearly shaking with humiliation.   
  
"Abby, come on. Nobody saw it. It's not a big deal," Carter answered. He knew how embarrassing  
  
it must have been for her, but he didn't want a silly incident to ruin their first date.   
  
"Nobody saw it?! Come on, Carter, you're a better liar than that. They kitchen staff probably saw  
  
it, for God's sake," she responded. Carter laughed and choked on a sip of water. He tried to  
  
delicately spit it back into his glass without attracting even more attention to their table. Abby felt a  
  
smile creeping across her face, in spite of her embarrassment. Carter reached under the table for her  
  
hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Abby was determined to salvage the rest of their evening, so she  
  
peeked downward to make sure that everything was back in it's proper place and picked up her  
  
menu.   
  
"Let's just order," she grumbled. Carter swallowed the last of his laughter and picked up his menu  
  
as well.   
  
"Do you want to get an hors de oeuvres?" he asked.   
  
"Sure. What's good here?" she answered.   
  
"I've always liked the prosciutto and..." he trailed off before finishing his sentence.   
  
"And what?"  
  
"And...melon,"he finished lamely, and waited for the inevitable. Sure enough, he felt a swift,  
  
stiletto-heeled foot kick his shin from across the table. 


	2. Chapter 2

Carter and Abby lingered over dinner for several hours before deciding to call it a night. They  
  
climbed back into the limo, and the driver headed back to Abby's apartment. As they rode, Abby  
  
settled her head onto Carter's shoulder. He put his arm around her and let his fingers trail up and  
  
down her bare arm. He really admired her for being such a good sport. He had doubted that she  
  
would be able to recover from flashing the restaurant, but she had done so gracefully. They arrived  
  
at Abby's apartment, and Carter opened the door and leaned down to help her out of the car again.   
  
He walked her to her door and couldn't help but stare at her while she fumbled for her keys. He was  
  
astounded by her beauty.   
  
"So, I guess this is good night," she said as she opened the door.   
  
"I guess so.." he replied.  
  
"Unless..."  
  
"Unless what?"  
  
"Unless you'd like to come in for some coffee," she offered. Carter jumped at the invitation, and  
  
soon he found himself sitting at her kitchen table while she put the coffee on. While it was brewing,  
  
filling the air with it's fragrance, Abby joined Carter at the kitchen table. As their conversation  
  
deepened and the hour grew later, it became apparent that Carter would spend the night at Abby's  
  
apartment. She never offered a verbal invitation, and he never made the suggestion, but it just  
  
seemed to be the natural progression of the evening.   
  
Abby stretched and rose from the kitchen table and went into her bedroom and changed into her  
  
pajamas. Carter couldn't help it...as he had guiltily done once before, he peeked through her slightly  
  
open door and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Off came the dress, the strapless bra, the panty  
  
hose, and on came a pair of soft gray cotton pajama pants and a spaghetti-strapped black tank top.   
  
Suddenly, Carter jumped...Abby had caught his eye in her bedroom mirror and was giving him a  
  
reproachful look.   
  
"I'm sorry," he stammered and turned bright red. She would probably be furious.  
  
"Carter, it's okay."  
  
"No, really...that was out of line. If you want me to leave..." he began. Abby cut him off.   
  
"Carter, I left the door open on purpose. Just like I did the night you took me to the charity ball at  
  
the museum," she said coyly, and winked at him. Carter was completely speechless.   
  
"Besides, what more do I have to hide after my little strip tease tonight at the restaurant?" They  
  
laughed, breaking the awkwardness of the moment, and they embraced. Together they orchestrated  
  
a fumbling sort of dance, weaving through the doorway, moving in harmony to avoid bumping into  
  
furniture, at the same time flinging pieces of clothing through the room with flourish. They finally  
  
arrived at their destination: Abby's bed. 


	3. Chapter 3

Abby was bent over at the admit desk, her head in her hands. She felt a bit dizzy–she had passed over real breakfast for one of the liquid variety. She had about 3 and a half cups of strong coffee pumping caffiene through her veins, and no food in her stomach since dinner last night.   
  
"Abby, we need you in here," Weaver shouted as the gurney rolled by. Abby jogged into the trauma room and prepared to help. The patient had been injured in a car accident...mostly cuts and bruises, but also a nasty fracture of the upper arm. Abby rushed around, helping where needed, handing Weaver instruments as she barked out orders. She kept trying to shake off the wretched feeling that was working it's way through her whole body.   
  
"Abby, I'm going to need you to irrigate this wound," Weaver requested as she pulled gauze off of the open fracture on the patient's arm. Abby started to cross the trauma room to grab the irrigation kit, but instead made a beeline for the garbage can and violently threw up.   
  
"Get Halleh in here!" Weaver screamed. "Abby, go rinse your mouth and lie down."  
  
"No, no...I'm fine," Abby protested, but then gagged and vomited again. She was thoroughly and completely embarrassed. She had never reacted this way to a trauma victim, not since her very first nursing practicum in college.   
  
"Go," Weaver shouted as Halleh entered the trauma room. Abby didn't have to be asked twice. She slunk to the restroom with her proverbial tail between her legs.   
  
In the restroom, Abby rinsed her mouth and splashed some cold water on her face for good measure. She took a look at herself in mirror and sighed. She felt ridiculous–she absolutely hated being sick in front of others. When she was younger, she never even wanted Maggie to help her when she had a stomach flu. She worked her way through the crowded ER to the lounge, where she laid down on the sofa. She felt fatigue flow through her entire body, all the way to the tips of her fingers. She shut her eyes, only to snap them open again as she felt someone's hand on her forehead.   
  
Carter was standing over her, looking every bit the concerned doctor.   
  
"Hey," she whispered weakly. "I think I have a stomach bug or something."  
  
"Yeah, Chuney told me that you got sick during a trauma." Abby rolled her eyes in disgust. Soon the entire ER would be buzzing about her lovely performance.   
  
"So, you think it's just a bug?" Carter asked.   
  
"Yeah, I guess..." Suddenly a cold feeling of dread filled the pit of Abby's now empty stomach. She began adding numbers, counting days, in her head.   
  
"Hey, Carter...would you tell Weaver that I'm going home for the afternoon? I feel lousy, and I know I'm not going to get any rest around here."  
  
"Sure Abby."  
  
"Thanks," Abby whispered, and gathered her keys and jacket. She knew that she would not be heading straight home. Her very first stop would be a drug store.   
  
Abby slammed her bathroom door behind her and took the pregnancy test out of its box. She opened the wrapper and sat on the toilet to perform the test. "Dammit," she cursed to herself. She had never been able to take one of those things without accidentally peeing all over her hand.   
  
She set the test down on the edge of the sink and washed her hands. Three minutes, three minutes she told herself. In three minutes she would probably be wetting her pants, either from utter relief or utter shock. She glanced at the test on the sink again as she dried her hands. Her heart leapt into her throat. The test had already completed, and two blue lines were staring her right in the face. Two. She was pregnant.   
  
Abby couldn't help herself. She lit a cigarette, knowing how unbelievably wrong it was the entire time she was smoking it, and tried to figure out what the next step was. Carter. She would have to call Carter. Should she call him at work? Wait until he got off? She glanced at the clock and saw that it would be another 6 hours before he got off. No way was she enduring this panic all by herself for six hours. As she searched for her cordless phone, a funny feeling came over her for what seemed like the millionth time today, but this time it wasn't dizziness or nausea. It wasn't dread. She wasn't completely sure, but for some strange reason, she felt the teeniest, tiniest bit...happy. 


	4. Chapter 4

Carter paced back and forth across the room. "How did this happen?"  
  
"Well, Carter, when a man and a woman have special feelings for each other..." Abby began sarcastically. Carter cut her off immediately.   
  
"This is really not funny, Abby. Really, really not funny. How can you make jokes?"  
  
"I've had a couple more hours to deal with it, I guess," Abby replied. "But in answer to your question, I don't think we were too careful that night we went out to dinner." Carter groaned. He regretted it the instant he saw the expression on Abby's face...it had the crumpled appearance of somebody about to cry.   
  
"What are we going to do, John?" she whispered. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.   
  
"We're adults," he replied. "We're not 16, we've graduated college, we both have jobs..." he trailed off.   
  
"Does that mean..." Abby began.  
  
"I think we should have this baby," he answered. "We need to act like grown ups and deal with this."  
  
"What does that mean for...us?" Abby asked timidly.   
  
"What do you want it to mean?" Carter asked.   
  
"I'm not asking you to marry me, if that's what you're thinking. We just...need to work out some sort of arrangement after the baby comes...split up weekends and holidays, that sort of thing." Throughout Abby's speech, she could see Carter's face falling. Why was he looking so disappointed? Her heart skipped a beat.   
  
"What are you thinking?" Abby asked.   
  
"I...I think we should be a little more serious than that. How do you feel about moving in with me?" Carter asked. Before Abby could protest, he continued.  
  
"I want to take care of you. I love you, Abby." She gasped. She certainly hadn't expected to hear those words from him so suddenly, so soon. She knew that she felt the same way. Deep down, she had always known that her feelings for Carter were special, different from what she had ever felt for any of the other men in her life.   
  
"I love you, too," she whispered, and pressed her lips to his cheek. "And...I actually feel kind of...okay about this."  
  
"Yeah," Carter agreed, settling back against the sofa and pulling her close to him. "I feel kind of okay about it too." 


	5. Chapter 5

Abby fought off fatigue as she dressed for her shift. She fiddled with the draw string on her scrub pants, trying to undo the knot. Lately, she found herself leaving the top buttons of her pants undone, pulling zippers only halfway up, and shopping for pants with elastic waste bands. She needed to give herself a little extra room in her scrub pants as well.   
  
Carter emerged from the steaming shower, wet-headed and smelling fresh.   
  
"Good morning," he said, and beamed at Abby. He crossed over to her and pulled her in for a hug. He then knelt down and kissed the swollen little bump of her belly. Carter rested his head on her stomach for a second as Abby stroked his hair. He looked up at her and asked,   
  
"When are we going to break the news to everyone at work?" Abby groaned.  
  
"Can we give it just one more week?"   
  
"Abby, people are going to start wondering. You're starting to show a little, you know..."  
  
"I know, don't remind me," she replied. "Maybe I can just let them think I'm getting fat." Carter shook his head, stood up and began dressing for work.   
  
"Just give me one more week. I'm not ready for balloons and flowers and baby showers quite yet." Carter begrudgingly agreed to keep their big news under wraps for one more week.   
  
They walked into the ER together and headed for the lounge. They put their stuff in their lockers and braced themselves for the long day ahead. After a couple of hours of trying to get the board under control, Carter caught up with Abby.   
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked.   
  
"Not up to working, that's for sure,"  
  
"Take a sick day. I can try to find someone to cover for you."  
  
"No...I'll be fine. I just need to work through it."   
  
"Okay, but if you need to go home, let me know. I'll work something out."  
  
"Thanks Carter," Abby said and gave him a quick kiss. They headed back to work before having to face the wrath of Weaver.   
  
Lunchtime rolled around, and Carter again caught up with Abby.   
  
"Can you spare some time to get some lunch with me?"  
  
"Sure, I'm starving. Give me 10 minutes..."  
  
They walked hand in hand up to the admit desk.   
  
"Frank, we're headed out to lunch...we won't be long," Carter said.   
  
"Define 'won't be long'. Things are starting to get busy around here," Frank griped. Abby rolled her eyes.  
  
"Twenty minutes, tops," she replied impatiently. Her stomach growled at her, demanding food.   
  
"We'll need a half an hour at least, Abby. You're eating for two, remember?" Carter answered. As soon as the words left his mouth, the hustle and bustle of the ER seemed to come to a dead stand still, besides Abby shooting daggers at Carter with her eyes.   
  
"Abby?" Chuney said, looking at her incredulously. Susan, Frank, Gallant, and several others looked at her expectantly. Abby knew that their secret was out.   
  
"Yes, I'm pregnant. Fine, now everyone around here will know in 10 minutes flat, I'm sure," Abby said grumpily. She blushed with embarrassment...she wasn't quite ready yet for everyone to know the big news.   
  
The group gathered around her and enveloped her in a big hug. Abby shifted uncomfortably and said, " I need to get out of here. I'm starving."  
  
"Take your time," Chuney called after them. "I'll cover for you."   
  
"Hey, Carter" Frank called after them. They turned around.   
  
"You're the father, right?" They shot him a look of disgust and left for lunch.   
  
And when they returned, a big bouquet of pink and blue balloons were waiting for Abby at the admit desk. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Charlie, you have to...sit...STILL," Abby begged, her voice growing louder as her patience dwindled. She struggled to get the little boy to let go of his mother's legs and hold out his arm so that she could take his blood pressure.   
  
"I don't wanna!" Charlie screamed. Abby looked over at his mother, imploring her to do something about her monster of a son. Dealing with unruly children sent chills down Abby's spine at times. She had no idea how she would handle her child if it acted like that. Charlie's mother gave Abby a weak smile and shrug, as if to say, "there's nothing I can do about him." Abby fought the urge to roll her eyes and suggested that things might go more smoothly if Charlie's mother would detach herself from her son and leave the room. The mother obliged, leaving a screaming child behind for Abby to examine.   
  
"Please, honey...I just need to take your blood pressure. It won't hurt. It'll just be a little squeeze on your arm..." Abby pleaded. The little boy relented and held his arm out for Abby. Abby took advantage of his sudden cooperation and put the cuff around his upper arm. She stretched his arm out straight, and it gently rested on her rounded belly. As he did, a vicious kick caused Abby's stomach to ripple. A startled Charlie looked at Abby for a second with wide eyes, and then let loose with an ear-piercing scream. .   
  
"Get away from me! Get away from me!!!" he cried, and ran out of the exam room to his mother. She hugged him and he cowered against her shoulder.   
  
"What on earth..." his mother began.   
  
"That lady has a monster in her tummy! Get her away from me!!" Charlie cried.   
  
"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't scare him too badly..." Abby began. Charlie's mother cut her off with a request for another nurse. Abby's face turned bright red, and she headed to the nurses' station to find someone to fill in.   
  
After convincing Lily to relieve her, Abby decided to take a quick break from the craziness of the ER. She sat in the lounge with her head down on the table. She took deep breaths, trying to shake off the persistent fatigue, a result of her pregnancy. She looked up as the door opened. It was Carter.   
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked.   
  
"How am I always feeling?" she retorted, irritability creeping into her voice. She was just so sick and tired of being sick and tired.   
  
"I know it's hard," Carter said sympathetically. Abby shook her head, hoping that in doing so she would shake off her bad attitude. She loved Carter, and she loved their child that was growing inside of her, but nursing was strenuous work. She constantly debated about taking fewer shifts but wanted to stick it out. Besides, the ER was understaffed as usual.   
  
"I brought you something," Carter said, offering her a brown bag. She grabbed it from him and opened it, pleased to find a huge candy bar. Her mouth watered. She hadn't realized that she was hungry. She tore open the wrapper and took a huge bite, hoping that the extra sugar would give her the boost she needed to get through the rest of her shift.   
  
"Thank you," she said through a giant mouth-full of chocolate. Carter smiled.   
  
"Abby, we need you," Halleh said, pausing only long enough to pop her head in the lounge.   
  
"I'm up," said Abby, and hoisted herself clumsily to her feet. She grabbed her candy bar and jammed the rest of it in her mouth. She chewed vigorously and swallowed it down.   
  
"Abby..." Carter began. He motioned to his face. Abby had no time for charades.   
  
"I have to run...I'll catch up with you later," she said hurriedly as she hustled to get to the trauma room. Carter called after her, but it was no use. She was off, speeding down the hall.   
  
"Okay, what can I do?" Abby asked upon entering the trauma room. She was greeted with a variety of odd looks, and some muffled laughter.   
  
"What?" she asked impatiently. Everyone looked around, too polite to want to point it out to her. Everyone, that is, except for Pratt.   
  
"What the hell do you have all over your face?" he asked, grinning.   
  
"Oh, crap," Abby said and reached up to her mouth. Her hands were met with a sticky sensation, and she looked at her fingers and saw a brown smear across them.   
  
"It's chocolate," she said. Her face turned bright red, a nice contrast to the dark chocolate that was melted all over her mouth and cheeks. She mentally kicked herself for being such a slob, and then gave her attention to the patient in front of her. 


	7. Chapter 7

During her eighth month, Abby was banned from working on major traumas. This was not a decision passed down by Weaver or any of the other "higher-ups". This was Carter's demand. Abby appreciated that he was looking out for her but was getting incredibly bored.   
  
"Abby, we need a little help over here," Chuny said, snapping Abby out of a daydream. She was trying to corral a little old man who was determined to shuffle away from his bed in the exam room. Abby hopped off of her stool and started over to them, but stopped suddenly. An odd sensation was spreading through her body. She looked down and was shocked to see a pool of liquid collecting around her feet. Chuny gasped.   
  
"Abby, your water just broke!"   
  
"Oh, my God. I...I don't know what to do..." Abby stammered. All of her experience as an OB nurse completely flew out of the window. All of the experience in the world couldn't have prepared her for actually feeling the sensations in her own body. She knew the mechanics of labor and birth...she had helped countless other women through the process. But this time it wasn't happening to other women. This was happening to her. She felt like a frightened child. And an embarrassed child to boot. She tugged at her scrub top, trying unsuccessfully to cover the dark, wet spot on her light blue pants.   
  
"I'll find Carter," Chuney offered. "Jerry, get over here with a wheel chair and get her upstairs," Chuney ordered. Jerry came running with the chair, and before Abby could tell him to watch his step, he slipped on the wet floor where Abby's water had broken and came crashing down on his back. Abby was mortified, but forgot her embarrassment as the first wave of labor pain washed over her.   
  
*******  
  
"Okay, Abby...we're almost there. I need you to push one more time," the doctor said.   
  
"I can't...I can't" Abby wailed breathlessly.   
  
"Yes you can, Abby," Carter answered. "You're the bravest person I know."  
  
Abby gripped Carter's hand and took a deep breath, preparing to bear down. Everyone counted for her, encouraging her to be strong and finish this agonizing process.   
  
As they reached the count of ten, the doctor shouted triumphantly, "We have a girl! Congratulations Mom and Dad!" The baby let out an angry wail, apparently not too happy at making her debut into the world.   
  
"A girl," Abby cried. Carter could barely see his new daughter through the tears in his eyes. He wiped his face with his hands and took a closer look.   
  
"Oh God, Abby...she's beautiful. She has your mouth," he said, voice wavering with emotion.   
  
"Can I hold her?" an exhausted Abby asked. The baby was brought to her and laid on her chest. The exhaustion, the emotion, the turmoil and pure joy of the day caught up to Abby and she sobbed uncontrollably.  
  
"I...love...you...so much," she said to her daughter, shoulders jerking, tears streaming down her face. "You're...the best person...I've ever met." Carter, unable to hold back any longer, buried his head in Abby's shoulder and sobbed along with her. Even the seasoned veteran doctor, who had seen a thousand births if she had seen one, felt her eyes welling up with tears. She apologetically broke up the family's first meeting by taking the newest Carter to be cleaned up and given the full battery of newborn examinations.   
  
"What's her name?" the doctor asked quietly as she lifted the newborn. Carter and Abby looked at each other blankly.   
  
"We were still arguing over that...we thought we'd have another month," Carter answered. He looked at Abby and could tell that she was trying to quickly rack her brain for a name for their daughter.   
  
"Don't worry, take your time. You'll think of something," replied the doctor.   
  
"You must think we're horrible parents, not having a name for our child," Abby said, shame creeping into her voice.   
  
"Not at all," the doctor smiled. "Happens more often than you would think." She passed the newborn to the nurse and ushered them towards the door. As she reached for the knob...  
  
"Eve," Abby said.   
  
"What?" the doctor and Carter responded in unison.   
  
"I think she's an Eve," Abby answered and smiled. Carter liked the sound of the name but was curious as to why Abby would have chosen it. He doubted it was for biblical reasons. He turned to Abby, and she saw the question in his eyes before he even asked it.   
  
"Because it's short and sweet, and so is she," Abby answered matter-of-factly. Carter laughed out loud.   
  
"Eve it is," he said.   
  
"Eve it is," Abby echoed and closed her eyes. 


	8. Chapter 8

Eve Noelle Carter decided (with her parents and doctor, of course) that two days in the hospital was plenty for her. Proud parents Abby and John went to pick her up from the nursery on a Wednesday and took her, bundled in a blanket and a pink knit hat, for her first ride. She sat in her mother's lap, and her mother sat in a wheel chair, to make the journey out of the hospital. Of course, there was no way they would be able to make it out without first seeing the entire staff of the ER. The staff was waiting in the lounge area of the more sterile maternity ward with a cake and some beautiful presents for the new family. They practically jumped on Eve as soon as she was wheeled into the room.   
  
"Oh, my God, she's beautiful!"  
  
"Hi Eve!"  
  
"She looks just like you, Abby!"  
  
"No, I think she looks more like Carter."  
  
Eve was a perfect angel during this commotion. She allowed the group to pass her around from lap to lap without much more than a slight whimper. Carter and Abby beamed the entire time. They couldn't have been prouder of their new daughter. Of course, all parents think their child is the most gorgeous creature on the planet, but Eve actually was a beautiful baby by anyone's standards. She had a head full of dark hair, big eyes, a pouting rosebud of a mouth, and her mother's smooth complexion. After making the rounds, Eve finally found herself in the arms of Susan Lewis.   
  
"Oh, Eve, you are unbelievable," Susan whispered. "She's perfect...she even has eyelashes already! Carter, you're going to have to watch out for this one. The boys are going to go crazy."  
  
"Thanks, Susan...make a first-time dad a little more nervous," Abby joked light-heartedly. Chen passed around slices of cake, and the group enjoyed a little time together in the maternity ward. It was rare for them to be able to gather in such a manner. Sitting around, sharing a grocery-store sheet cake, gazing upon the new baby, chatting like normal people...it gave the staff a feeling of togetherness, of community...maybe even a hint of family? They all had known Carter and Abby for a long time. They had watched strong, independent Abby struggle through the hormonal ups and downs of pregnancy. They had seen patient Carter, the ER's native son, provide Abby with such care and consideration throughout the duration. And after months of waiting and wondering what that little person was going to look like, they finally were seeing Miss Eve Carter in all her glory. So it was no wonder that the simple gathering in the lounge of the maternity ward felt like a family get-together for the ER staff.   
  
"We need to get going," Carter finally announced, and the rest of the party groaned their disappointment. Abby and Eve were starting to resemble wilting flowers. He could tell that their energy was pretty much drained.   
  
"So soon?" Halleh asked. Abby and Carter nodded. Carter got Abby and Eve settled into the wheelchair and pushed them to the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, the family waved good-bye to the group, feeling oddly sentimental towards their unusual coworkers. In such a highly charged, emotional work environment as the ER, tempers flared and fights and arguments couldn't be helped, but Carter and Abby felt confident that everyone who worked there shared one common trait: a good heart.   
  
After they had left, the rest of the staff quickly cleaned up frosting-smeared plates and forks.   
  
"Little Eve Carter. What a beauty!" Yosh said. Everyone nodded in agreement.   
  
"Carter's in for some trouble," Susan smirked.   
  
"Well, he's got a while before the boys will start calling," said Chuney. Susan shook her head, smiling.   
  
"No, that's not it."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"If that child has even half of her mother's attitude, the two of them together will be way more than Carter can handle. I give him three years before he's completely insane," Susan joked lovingly. The comment got a big laugh from the rest of the staff, who were all too familiar with Abby's biting wit and fiery temper. 


	9. Chapter 9

Carter was washing up the dishes from a late dinner as Abby tried to get a fussy Eve to sleep in the nursery. Even from the kitchen, Carter could tell that Eve was doing her very best to fight off sleep, but eventually her cries became softer and softer, until finally she only choked out an occasional sob and hiccup. Carter dried his hands and crept quietly into the nursery, inching the door open bit by bit and then tiptoeing over to the rocking chair where Abby sat singing a familiar song to their baby daughter. It was an almost ethereal scene. The beautiful pair were bathed in moonlight that streamed in from the window. As Abby sang softly, Eve's head rested on Abby's shoulder, her eyes closed, her dark lashes laying on her full cheeks.   
  
"There's a song that they sing as they take to the highways,  
  
A song that they sing as they take to the seas,  
  
A song that they sing of their home in the sky..."  
  
"James Taylor?" Carter asked in a whisper. Abby nodded and continued singing in her throaty voice, rocking so gently that she barely seemed to be moving.  
  
"Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep,  
  
but singing works just fine for me..."  
  
Carter quietly joined in for the chorus of the unconventional lullaby.   
  
"So goodnight, you moonlight ladies.  
  
Rock-a-bye sweet baby James.  
  
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose,  
  
Won't you let me go down in my dreams?  
  
And rock-a-bye sweet baby James."  
  
The young family stayed absolutely still, just drinking in the beauty of the moment. Carter stood behind the rocking chair in a daze, looking upon his child and her mother. Soft, dark hair, the rhythm of their steady breaths, the scent of baby powder and milk...it was more intoxicating than anything Carter had ever experienced. His eyes repeatedly filled with warm, wet tears, no matter how many times he tried to blink them away. He had no idea that it was possible to love this much. He almost ached at the intensity of it. Reluctantly, Abby rose to her feet with Eve in her arms. She seemed to glide across the room to put the baby into her crib. She bent slowly and gently laid the child into her bed. Eve's breath quickened as she was removed from the warmth of her mother, but she decided to remain sleeping as Abby covered her with a soft white blanket.   
  
When Abby turned from the crib, Carter immediately caught her in an embrace. She laid her head against his chest, and he gently stroked her hair.   
  
"Marry me," he whispered. Abby looked up at him, her eyes searching his and finding nothing but love and sincerity.   
  
"Marry me, Abby," he repeated. She smiled softly up at him and nodded. One word, the only word that mattered, escaped from her lips.  
  
"Yes." 


	10. Chapter 10

"Have you got everything?" Abby asked. She was a bit nervous about Carter taking Eve for an  
  
outing all by himself, but she really could use the time alone. Besides, Carter's family still made her  
  
incredibly uncomfortable. She had been out to dinner with his parents and had visited his  
  
grandmother's mansion several times during her pregnancy, and each of these meetings was about as  
  
cheerful and lively as a funeral. Maggie and Eric may be crazy, Abby thought, but at least they're  
  
interesting.   
  
"We're all set," Carter answered. He was loaded down with a diaper bag and an infant seat. Abby  
  
walked him to his jeep, carrying four-month-old Eve. She settled Eve into her car seat as Carter put  
  
his armful of baby accessories in the back.   
  
"Have fun, baby," Abby cooed to her daughter, kissing the top of her head. "Say hi to Grandma and  
  
Grandpa for me." She then turned to Carter and reached up to put her arms around his neck. "So,  
  
are you ready for this?" she asked. Carter grinned.   
  
"They'll be fine," he answered. "They won't be thrilled with the idea of us getting married without  
  
a huge church wedding, but they'll get over it. Besides, they're crazy about Eve. They'll probably  
  
be so involved with her that they won't even mention a wedding." Abby kissed him goodbye and he  
  
hopped into the driver's seat.   
  
"Bye! We'll see you in about three or four hours," he called to Abby, waving at her as he pulled  
  
away. He actually was dreading this get-together with Gamma and his parents, during which he was  
  
going to tell them about his and Abby's plans for their wedding. Carter knew that it would take  
  
some heavy persuasion to get them to agree that a civil ceremony at city hall was the way to go.   
  
After Abby had said yes to Carter's proposal, they had spent several months talking about how they  
  
wanted to go about getting married. Abby was adamant about not wanting any sort of traditional  
  
wedding. She wanted a simple, civil ceremony, performed by a judge in city hall, with a few close  
  
family members present. She didn't have any trouble convincing Carter that this was the best plan  
  
for them. The new parents were exhausted. Their daughter was practically nocturnal, keeping them  
  
awake at ungodly hours. It seemed excessive and unnecessary to spend time putting together a guest  
  
list, choosing flowers and decorations and all of the other tedious details that a wedding entailed.   
  
Carter pulled into the circular driveway in front of Gamma's enormous house. He hoisted Eve into  
  
her infant seat and carried her inside. Eve's brightly colored diaper bag and squeaky plush bunny  
  
seemed completely out of place in the cold, austere mansion.   
  
"John," cried Gamma, hurrying into the front hallway to greet him. "I'm so glad you're here! Let  
  
me see that precious angel." She delicately lifted Eve from her infant seat and held her close.   
  
"Thanks for having us over, Gam," Carter replied. He smiled at his patrician, blue-blooded  
  
grandmother, who was affectionately kissing Eve's plump, dimpled hands.   
  
"Any time, John, any time. And where is Abby?" she asked.   
  
"She decided to sit this one out. She needed some alone time," he answered, curious himself as to  
  
what his soon-to-be wife was doing at home.   
  
***************  
  
Abby sighed and submerged herself underneath her hot bath water. She resurfaced with wet hair  
  
streaming and thick, sudsy bubbles clinging to her skin. Reluctantly she drained the tub, having  
  
spent close to an hour soaking. No interruptions, no rushing...it was heavenly for the new mother.   
  
Abby wrapped a thick towel around herself and stepped on the scale. She was thrilled to see that she  
  
was only two pounds heavier than she had been before getting pregnant. It had taken her about four  
  
months to get the baby weight off. Abby stepped into the bedroom and opened her dresser drawers,  
  
on a quest for some comfortable pajamas.   
  
As Abby searched, she was distracted by neatly folded shirts and jeans in her drawers that she hadn't  
  
worn in many months. Curious to see how her pre-pregnancy clothes would fit, she pulled on one  
  
pair of jeans after another, pairing them with snug shirts and low-cut sweaters. Abby was almost  
  
laughing out loud with pleasure from being able to fit into this long-neglected clothing. She made  
  
her way over to her closet and rifled through pencil-slim skirts and the occasional dress, stopping  
  
when she came across her favorite black leather jacket. She pulled the garment off of it's hanger,  
  
smiling as if she had just been reacquainted with an old friend. She slipped her arms into the jacket  
  
and buttoned it up, tying the belt around her waist. Perfect, she thought, twirling to examine herself  
  
in the full-length mirror. She thrust her hands into the pockets, and then pulled them back  
  
immediately as if she had been burned.   
  
An old pack of cigarettes remained in the left pocket of her jacket. She slipped her hand back in and  
  
pulled it out slowly, flipping open the lid to find that three cigarettes remained in the pack. Familiar  
  
cravings flooded her body. It had been ages since Abby had smoked...she hadn't touched a cigarette  
  
since that first day she had found out that she was pregnant. She stared at the crumpled pack in her  
  
hand, grappling with whether to throw it out or to smoke one. She knew it was wrong, and she knew  
  
how Carter felt about them smoking, especially since Eve had come along. Guilt and desire fought  
  
each other for prominence, and after a minute of debating, desire won out.   
  
Abby searched the apartment for matches, finding some in the kitchen. She made her way back into  
  
the steamy bathroom and cracked a window. Feeling as giddy as a teenager sneaking a smoke  
  
behind her parents' backs, Abby lit the cigarette and took a long, smooth drag. The cigarette was  
  
stale, but Abby savored it anyway, puffing away until she had smoked it down to the filter. She  
  
threw the butt into the toilet and fanned the remaining smoke out of the window before closing it.   
  
She misted the bathroom with some air freshener for good measure, and went back into the bedroom  
  
to put away the pieces of clothing that she had flung around the room during her impromptu fashion  
  
show.   
  
*******  
  
Thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing! I truly appreciate it, and I hope you are enjoying the story! 


	11. Chapter 11

After a simple but elegant dinner, Carter, Eleanor, Jack, and Gamma settled into the study. Jack sipped a scotch on the rocks as Eleanor held Eve somewhat stiffly on her lap. She was a bit out of practice-- it had been too many years since she had the delight of cradling a baby in her lap. Carter glanced around the room, bracing himself for the conversation that was at hand. Gamma interrupted his train of thought.   
  
"What's on your mind, John? You've been fidgeting ever since you got here," she said. His parents looked at him anxiously.   
  
"Well, I have some exciting news. Abby and I are getting married." Carter glanced at his family's faces, but they were for the most part devoid of expression.   
  
"We figured as much, since you've had a child together. We assumed it would happen sooner or later," Jack offered mildly. "This is good news...I'm glad to hear of it." Carter smiled his appreciation.   
  
"When will the wedding take place?" Eleanor asked. Carter's heart skipped a beat. It was now or never.   
  
"Anytime now, actually. We just need to make an appointment at city hall, and then it's just a matter of a quick ceremony done by a judge. We'd love to have you all there, so if you just give me an idea of what your schedules are like for next month..." Carter trailed off. The atmosphere in the study was frigid. It was almost tangible, as if the room had gotten about ten degrees colder. Eleanor was the first to break an uncomfortable silence.   
  
"This is unacceptable, John," she said in clipped syllables. "Unacceptable."  
  
"Mom..." Carter began. Eleanor cut him off quickly.   
  
"No. You have already embarrassed this family enough by having a child out of wedlock. I will not tolerate you having a wedding at city hall. I support you and Abby getting married, but you need to have enough respect for this family to at least have a small wedding at the church." Eleanor stared at him stonily. Carter looked over to his grandmother, beseeching her with his eyes to stand up for him, but she shifted uncomfortably in her chair and wouldn't meet his gaze.  
  
"John, I have to agree with your mother," Gamma said. "A city hall marriage just...just won't look right. It almost seems...secretive. You owe Abby a real wedding, a chance to introduce her to your relatives, our family friends..."  
  
"Gamma, that's not what Abby wants. We don't have the time or energy to deal with wedding plans. We just want to keep it simple, that's all. We're not trying to sneak off and elope or anything. We want you there, and her mom and brother, and maybe a couple of friends from work. But we just don't want..."   
  
"Nonsense, John," Gamma interrupted. "A traditional wedding doesn't have to be complicated. You hire someone to do all of the worrying over the details. You and Abby would just have to show up." Jack, having remained silent throughout the conversation except for the clinking of ice in his glass, decided to chime in.   
  
"Look at it from a business standpoint, John. You know a Carter wedding will make the papers–there's no getting around it. It would look a lot better if it was done in a church instead of a civil ceremony. Plus, it's been a while since we've hosted a family event, and our business associates always appreciate an invitation to that sort of thing." Carter groaned. He had always hated that part of being a Carter– the part that called for hosting showy, elaborate parties and making nice with phony businessmen and politicians. But at the same time, he felt a pang of sympathy for his family. Carter family news was fair game for the Chicago social circles, and he was certain that there had been some buzz about his out-of-wedlock daughter  
  
"I'll talk to Abby about it," Carter relented. "But I don't think I can convince her."  
  
"You have to make her see how important this is to us. You really need to be more responsible about protecting this family's reputation, John," Eleanor said icily. Carter glared at her and quickly took Eve from her lap. He had taken enough of her criticism for one night.   
  
"Eve is getting tired. We need to go. Thank you for dinner, Gamma," he said hurriedly, gathering Eve's belongings. Gamma ushered him to the door and kissed Eve goodbye.   
  
"Your mother is being too hard on you, but please, John...talk to Abby about the wedding." Carter assured her that he would and headed for home.   
  
*****  
  
Carter arrived at home to find Abby sprawled on the couch, watching TV and flipping through a magazine at the same time. He kissed the top of her head and let her cuddle Eve for a moment before putting the sleepy baby into her crib. He then took yet another deep breath and braced himself for another heated conversation.   
  
"Abby, we need to talk about the wedding," he began. Abby's eyebrows immediately shot up.   
  
"What about it?" she asked, caution in her voice. "What did your family say?"  
  
"They're thrilled that we're getting married. They couldn't be happier for us," Carter said, figuring that it wouldn't hurt to stretch the truth a little bit.   
  
"But..." Abby prompted. Carter sighed.   
  
"But they don't want us getting married at city hall. They think it would be sort of an embarrassment to the family, and they want us to have a more traditional wedding, and..." Abby jumped in immediately.   
  
"Oh, come on," she groaned. "There's no reason that we need to make a big fuss over this. We're not virginal little 18-year-olds embarking on a new life together. We already have a child together, for God's sake. We don't need a bunch of ceremony, we just need to make it official." Carter flinched. Abby's words stung him a bit. He wished that she could be a little more sentimental about their marriage. It was more than just a technicality that would turn her from Miss Lockhart to Mrs. Carter. Yes, their lives had intertwined when Abby had become pregnant with Eve, but their marriage would be, to him at least, an affirmation of their commitment to each other and their daughter. And the idea of his Abby walking down the aisle toward him in a white dress was enchanting.   
  
"Abby, if you could just go through with it, it would mean so much to my family," Carter pleaded and reached for her hand. "Besides, I think we deserve a special day." Abby rolled her eyes.   
  
"I don't know, John. It's just not my thing, you know? I'm not into tradition, being the center of attention...you know me. Low key. I..." Abby trailed off as she noticed that Carter was no longer listening, but instead looking around and sniffing the air.   
  
"What?" she asked nervously.   
  
"Something smells like...smoke in here," he said and looked at her suspiciously.   
  
"Oh, I...uh...I burned some popcorn earlier tonight," she said, trying her best for a nonchalant tone of voice. Carter seemed to accept that answer, and he hoisted himself from the sofa to make his way into the bedroom to get ready for bed. Abby followed after him.   
  
"You know, I got the impression from my family that they don't necessarily want to give us a huge, lavish wedding," Carter said, squeezing some toothpaste onto his toothbrush. "It's just a matter of having something to invite the family to, and some of the people from the foundation."  
  
"Sounds like fun," Abby said sarcastically, leaning against the doorframe. "A bunch of stiff businessmen. I wonder what they'd think of Maggie?"  
  
"Your mom would be fine," Carter answered around a mouthful of toothpaste. "You know, she'd probably appreciate a real wedding. You know she'd love to help you pick out a dress..." Carter leaned down to rinse his mouth in the sink, and as he did, something caught his eye. He wiped his mouth and walked over to the toilet, looking down into it.   
  
"What the hell is this, Abby?" he asked.   
  
"A toilet," she answered smartly.   
  
"And why is there a cigarette butt floating in it?" Carter asked. Shit, Abby immediately thought to herself. She had been caught. She had forgotten to flush the toilet after throwing in the cigarette.   
  
"John, I'm sorry," she said, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I found a pack in my coat pocket, and I haven't had one in so long. It won't happen again." Carter sighed, flushed the toilet, and brushed past her into their bedroom. He pulled off his clothes and got into his pajamas, and then crawled into bed and pulled the covers over his head. He was incredibly irritated with his wife-to-be. She had no right to smoke when she was still nursing their daughter. And he was absolutely finished arguing for the night.   
  
"John, I said I was sorry," Abby persisted. "I know it was stupid." The only answer she got was Carter pulling the covers even more tightly around himself.   
  
"Come on, talk to me. It was a momentary lapse in judgement. I threw the rest of the pack out." Carter remained silent.   
  
"Come on, John. I'll do whatever you want. I'll do all the dishes for a month. I'll take the trash out..."  
  
"You'll do anything to make it up to me?" Carter asked suddenly, a small smile spreading across his face.   
  
"You name it," Abby answered.   
  
"One word: wedding," Carter replied.   
  
"Except that," Abby snapped.   
  
"That's all I want from you, Abby. Gamma will get someone to plan it all, you just need to show up. No dishes, no trash, not even laundry. I just want the wedding." Abby sighed a deep, gusty sigh. Carter's smile grew bigger. Catching her with that cigarette had provided him with some valuable leverage. Guilt is a powerful motivator, he thought.   
  
"Fine, I'll do it. But it cannot be a big ordeal. Small is the operative word here." Carter kissed Abby's cheek, and then planted another kiss on her pouting lips.   
  
"Thank you. And Gamma and Mom thank you, too" he told her, and then settled into his pillow with a sigh of satisfaction.   
  
*******  
  
Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I hope this story is giving all the Carbies out there a reason to smile...it's been a rough season for us! Your reviews are very welcome and appreciated! 


	12. Chapter 12

Susan struggled to hold a squirming ten-month-old Eve in her arms. It was no small feat, considering the full, frilly dress the child was wearing. It made for quite an armful. Susan shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to lull Eve with the gentle rocking motion. Meanwhile, a nervous Abby was fighting frustration as Maggie fussed over her.   
  
"Hold still, honey," Maggie pleaded as she snipped a tiny thread that was hanging from the bodice of Abby's dress. After the offending thread had been removed, Maggie stood back to admire her handy-work. Tears filled her eyes as she gazed upon her beautiful daughter.   
  
"How do I look?" Abby asked.   
  
"Gorgeous. Just gorgeous," Maggie whispered, overflowing with pride. Susan perched Eve on her hip and took a long look at her friend.   
  
Maggie was right–Abby was undoubtedly gorgeous. After several months of unsuccessfully searching for the perfect wedding dress, Abby had relented and allowed Maggie to design and make the dress herself. There was no arguing with Maggie's talent. The smooth, ivory satin flowed simply down Abby's body to end in a short train. The dress was strapless yet modest, and the color couldn't have complimented Abby's tanned skin more perfectly. Abby had opted to forgo wearing a veil–it was too fussy for her taste. Her long, dark hair had been curled and gathered softly on top of her head, with a few stray curls falling onto her shoulders. The only jewelry that adorned her body were stunning diamond earrings, an early wedding gift from Carter. That and the heirloom engagement ring that Gamma had insisted that she take. Abby still felt overwhelmed by the beautiful piece of jewelry from time to time when it caught the sunlight and dazzled her with it's sparkle.   
  
"You look great," Susan said sincerely. Eve whined and reached for her mother. Abby took her adorable daughter in her arms. She was certain that it would not matter how she looked, because Eve would definitely be the star of the show. Eve was wearing an ivory dress with a deep rose sash to match Susan's maid-of-honor gown. A wreath of sweetheart roses was nestled in her dark hair. Abby kissed her daughter's cheek. Suddenly, the door opened and Eric walked in, the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome in his tuxedo.   
  
"It's time," he said, and Maggie's tears spilled onto her cheeks.   
  
"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," she said, and hugged Abby tightly. She then left to be escorted to her seat by her son. Eric came immediately back and took Abby's hand and placed it in the crook of his arm, giving it a quick squeeze as he did.   
  
The organ music swelled louder, and Susan made her way down the aisle to the front of the church, carrying Eve with her. The guests let out a collective "awww..." at the sight of the lovely maid of honor holding the precious "flower girl". Susan placed the baby in Maggie's lap and took her place on the altar, giving Carter a wink as she did. He grinned and winked back at her.   
  
And suddenly, Abby appeared. Carter's breath caught in his throat at the sight of his bride gliding down the aisle toward him, escorted by her brother. She was simply amazing.   
  
Abby felt her throat tighten as she made her way toward Carter. She mentally scolded herself...she wasn't the type to cry at weddings. But her feelings overtook her, and she couldn't help but let a tear slip down her cheek. Her coworkers from County beamed widely at her as she passed them. Quite a few of them had come to witness the event: Corday, Chen, and Pratt were in one row. Several of the nursing staff were there, too–Chuney, Halleh, and Lydia among others. Weaver was there with Sandy, and Gallant stood tall and proud, looking stunningly handsome in his military uniform. Abby did not see any of them, though. The only person she saw was Carter. When she reached Carter's side, he took her hands in hers. "You're beautiful," he mouthed silently. "Thanks," she mouthed back.   
  
The minister began the wedding ceremony with the familiar words, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today...". His voice and the beautiful, timeless words he uttered echoed in their ears as they gazed lovingly at each other. As the minister proceeded, Carter and Abby beamed with sheer happiness. It was as if those traditional words, spoken millions of times for millions of couples throughout the ages, were written especially for them. Then suddenly, a sharp cry snapped their attention away from the minister. Eve was trying her hardest to wiggle herself off of Maggie's lap–she desperately wanted to be at the front of the church with her parents. Maggie bounced the child on her lap, held her a bit more tightly, and gave the couple an apologetic look. They smiled, and the minister continued with the ceremony.   
  
Suddenly, muffled laughter rippled through the crowd. Eve had broken free of her grandmother's grasp and was crawling down the aisle towards her parents on her hands and knees. Maggie, looking mortified, made a move to capture the escapee, but Abby grinned and shook her head. She reached down, scooped up their daughter, and returned to her place beside Carter. Eve giggled happily and patted her mother's face with her dimpled baby hands. The guests laughed again, this time louder and livelier, and the minister once again resumed the ceremony.   
  
And Carter and Abby were married, as simply as that, holding their daughter between them as they vowed their love to each other for eternity.   
  
**************  
  
Thank you so much for all of the kind and encouraging reviews! This isn't the last you'll see of the wedding...thanks to a great suggestion from Lynn (a reviewer), the next chapter will focus on the wedding reception, where we'll get to see the Carters interacting with Maggie and Eric. We'll also get to see the staff of County enjoying some time outside of the ER. Thanks again for reading and reviewing, and I truly hope you're enjoying the story. 


	13. Chapter 13

Beautifully dressed wedding guests milled around the immaculate grounds of the Carter estate. The already perfectly manicured green lawns and lush gardens had received even more special treatment in preparation for the reception, and the result was glorious. Gorgeous blossoms seemed to seep from every corner, soaking up the sunlight of the beautiful day. The sky was a brilliant blue, almost as if Gamma and her wedding coordinator had ordered it especially for the event. Gamma had been true to her word...Abby and Carter did not have much hand in planning the details of the wedding and the reception, which had been their preference. They had made a few suggestions here and there, but Gamma had kept her promise: as their limo pulled up to the estate and they stepped out into the enchanting scene, Abby and Carter had done their part by simply showing up for the party.  
  
The guests cheered as the newly married couple arrived.  
  
"Are you ready for this?" Abby asked through clenched teeth, a wide smile glued to her face.   
  
"Oh, it won't be that bad. Just smile and nod and thank everyone for coming, and they'll love you," Carter replied though his own toothy grin. Almost immediately, the crowd swallowed them in, and Abby and Carter rode the wave gracefully, bobbing and weaving from one group of guests to another.   
  
After about an hour of mingling, Abby's feet were starting to protest. Maggie had adjusted the train of Abby's dress at the church after the ceremony, bustling it so that it wouldn't drag the ground during the reception. That took care of the dress, but neither Maggie nor Abby had thought ahead to the problems that were arising due to Abby's shoes. Her elegant high-heels were sinking into the ground with each step, poking deep holes into the perfect lawn. Not to mention that they were squeezing the hell out of her feet. Abby finally gave up, excused herself, and clicked across the patio and into the house to rummage for something more practical. In her suitcase, which was packed and ready for their all-too-brief weekend honeymoon, she found a pair of plastic flip flops. She kicked off the stylish heels and with a sigh of relief, slid into the soft, rubbery shoes.   
  
As she flopped noisily back into the reception, plastic soles hitting the patio and then resonating with a smack against the bottoms of Abby's feet, Eleanor shot her a look of dismay. Truth be told, however, Eleanor felt a secret twinge of jealousy; she wished desperately that she could follow Abby's suit and replace her own uncomfortable high-heels with her bedroom slippers. She made her way over to Abby, her face frozen in a pleasant smile, but her voice dripping with disdain.   
  
"Really, Abby, was it necessary to change into those shoes? Surely you could have waited until the end of the reception," she said through her teeth, smiling all the while. Abby turned her own phony smile up a degree or two.  
  
"Actually, Eleanor, you should just be glad that I didn't take the dress off and put on some jeans," she answered in a sugary tone. Eleanor clucked her tongue in disapproval, but left Abby alone to inflict her phoniness on one of the guests. Abby shrugged off the chilliness and flopped over to Eric, who was tearing through the hors de oeuvres like he hadn't eaten in weeks.   
  
"Take it easy, big guy," Abby said jokingly, elbowing him in the ribs. Eric jumped back from the tray, a bit embarrassed, and wiped crumbs from his face.   
  
"Hey, how are you holding up?" Eric asked around a mouthful of food.   
  
"Okay, I guess. This sort of party really isn't my thing, though. I'm more..."  
  
"Low key," Eric finished for her. Abby beamed at him. Years living apart, in different states even, and they still hadn't lost their sibling rapport, their sixth sense that gave them such clear insight into what the other was thinking. She leaned against her little brother, and he slung an arm over her shoulders.   
  
"I'm happy for you, Abby. I couldn't ask for you to be with a better guy than John."  
  
"Yeah," Abby grinned. "I'm pretty happy for myself, too."  
  
"He's smart, he's fun, and best of all, he's rich," Eric joked. Abby smacked him playfully.   
  
"Eric! Stop! That's tacky," Abby reprimanded.   
  
"Okay, but you better float me a loan if I ever need it," he continued. Abby gave him another playful jab and blushed a little at this uncomfortable money conversation.  
  
  
  
"And I'm expecting better Christmas and birthday presents now, too. Just sending me a card isn't going to cut it anymore. I'm talking TVs, stereo equipment..." he trailed off. Abby rolled her eyes at him and made her way over to Carter, who was standing and chatting with their group of friends from County.   
  
"Abby, you look simply lovely," Corday complimented, giving Abby a hug.   
  
"Absolutely," Weaver and Sandy agreed, beaming at her. Halleh, Lydia, and the rest of the nurses enveloped her in a big group hug.   
  
"Okay, step back ladies, it's my turn to congratulate the bride," Pratt smirked, and sauntered over to Abby.   
  
"Cool it, Greg," Chen warned, and the rest of the group laughed. Pratt gave Abby a very respectable hug and quick peck on the cheek. Abby and Carter spent a minute chatting with their friends, who looked so beautiful and polished in their "real" clothes. It was amazing to see how everyone's features came to life when they weren't being camouflaged by baggy cotton scrubs and long, billowing lab coats.   
  
"Hey, where's Gallant?" Carter asked suddenly. He hadn't seen the young resident since he had arrived at the reception.   
  
"Oh, you mean the ladies man?" Pratt answered. "Over there," he pointed. Gallant, stunningly attractive in his dress military uniform, was surrounded by a flock of women, most of whom were gazing at him adoringly.   
  
"Hey, that's my cousin!" Carter exclaimed, spotting an attractive, dark-haired young woman who had her arm around Gallant's waist.   
  
"So what? Gallant can't hit on your cousin?" Pratt asked, amused.   
  
"She's married!" Carter responded, shaking his head and laughing. "It's gotta be the uniform. Those things have hypnotic powers over women or something."  
  
"Of course they do," Eric chimed in, joining the group. "Why else do you think I joined the military?" Everyone laughed, and the rest of the crowd seemed to disappear into the background as the friends from County enjoyed the beautiful afternoon together.   
  
Meanwhile, Maggie was busy flitting from one group to the next, charming everyone she met. Well, almost everyone. She had yet to win over Eleanor and her group of snobby friends. Maggie spotted them chatting by the rose garden. She took a deep breath and approached them, which to her seemed the equivalent of approaching a hornet's nest. She smiled and interrupted their hushed conversation as politely as she knew how.   
  
"Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to introduce myself. Maggie Wyczenski. I'm Abby's mother. Thank you so much for coming today, it means so much to me and my daughter. I'm just delighted to meet the Carters' friends and family..."   
  
"Yes, Maggie, and we've all been delighted to meet you," Eleanor said in a bit of a dismissive tone, and turned back toward her friends. After several cocktails, Eleanor's manners had somewhat escaped her. Maggie looked deflated and prepared to leave the group alone, but Eleanor's friends proved to be more cordial.   
  
"Your daughter looks absolutely beautiful," one of the women complimented. "You must be so proud of her." Maggie beamed warmly, her smile lighting up her entire face.   
  
"Thank you, I am," she said, grateful for the pleasantry. Another one of Eleanor's friends chimed in,   
  
"Her dress is gorgeous. It looks like it was made for her." Maggie blushed slightly.   
  
"Actually," she offered, "it was. Abby couldn't find anything she liked in any of the bridal shops, so I designed the dress and made it for her."   
  
The women gasped and praised Maggie's talent. One of them even asked Maggie if she would be interested in designing a gown for her for an upcoming charity ball. As Maggie basked in their praise, Eleanor had to smile in spite of herself. Maggie's warmth was pretty irresistible, she admitted inwardly. And then, perhaps because the alcohol in her system had loosened her reserve a bit, she allowed herself to sneak a proud glance over at her radiant new daughter-in-law. Eleanor finally admitted to herself what she had probably known deep down all along–she genuinely admired Abby's spirit. Like mother, like daughter, she thought to herself, realizing that like Maggie, Abby was pretty irresistible herself. She smiled softly and turned her attention back to her friends.   
  
As dusk fell on the festive reception and the guests made their way home, Abby and Carter prepared to leave for their brief weekend honeymoon. They made their way to one of the bedrooms to change out of their wedding gear and into their traveling clothes.   
  
"Can you help me with this?" Abby asked, pointing to the zipper of her gown.   
  
"Gladly," Carter grinned, and gently tugged the zipper downward, kissing the back of her neck softly as he did. Abby sunk back against him and smiled wearily.   
  
"Tired?" Carter asked.   
  
"Exhausted," Abby murmured in response, and slipped out of her dress. Carter threw off his tuxedo jacket and was fiddling with the bow tie, all too eager to be rid of it.  
  
"Is Eve all set for the weekend?" Carter asked. While the newlyweds spent the weekend honeymooning , Maggie, Eric, Eleanor, and Jack were going to take turns spoiling Eve rotten.   
  
"Yup. She's sleeping in one of the guest rooms as we speak. Emily did a great job looking after her today," Abby said. Carter smiled.   
  
"I'm going to miss her this weekend, but I can't wait to have you all to myself," he whispered seductively. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed up at him.   
  
"I have a confession to make...I couldn't have imagined a more perfect wedding. I loved it. I love you. I love being your wife."  
  
"Abby, you have no idea how much I love being your husband. I love you and Eve more than anything in the world." He leaned down and softly kissed Abby's lips. They finished changing clothes, kissed Eve and the rest of their family good-bye, and climbed into the waiting limo. Before they had even reached the end of the driveway, Abby rested her head on her husband's chest and was lulled to sleep by the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.   
  
****************  
  
Thank you, everyone, for your wonderfully kind reviews. I really appreciate them! I apologize for the extreme delay in updating the story. What can I say...my schedule, being out of town, and writer's block all got in the way. I promise to be a little quicker with the updates next time! Thanks again, and if you have any suggestions of where Carter and Abby can go for a quick weekend honeymoon, I'd love to hear them!!! Thanks again. 


	14. Chapter 14

Note: This chapter focuses on Carter and Abby's honeymoon, and while it is pretty clean as far as "bedroom" scenes go, some readers may consider it a teensy bit on the smutty side. I don't think it's anything beyond PG-13, but I just wanted to give everyone fair warning.

Disclaimer: I haven't done this yet, so I figured I'd better acknowledge the fact that Carter and Abby don't belong to me. They belong to each other...as well as the good people at NBC.

Carter and Abby arrived at their destination around 9 o'clock that night–a resort on the edge of Lake Michigan. Their busy schedules and new-parent fear of leaving Eve for too long limited the length of their honeymoon to a weekend, and instead of spending precious hours traveling, they preferred to spend their time...well, doing other things. Plus, it put their minds at ease knowing that if Eve were to need them for some reason, they weren't too far away. Although with two sets of doting relatives taking turns looking after her, it was pretty certain that Eve wouldn't want for anything this weekend. Jack, Eleanor, Maggie, and Eric were all practically salivating at the chance to look after the precious little girl.   
  
After checking in, Carter and Abby made their way to their beautiful room. Abby gasped upon first glance–Carter had arranged for the room to be filled with vases of fresh flowers, and their brightness burst forth from every corner, enhancing the beauty of the already lovely room. The french doors to their balcony were slightly open, and dinner was awaiting them on the balcony. Abby looked at Carter questioningly, and he said,  
  
"I arranged for dinner to be waiting for us when we arrived. I figured you'd be pretty wiped out. Is this okay? You didn't want to go out to eat, did you?" Abby grinned and made a mental note to stop teasing her husband for being such a planner. She really appreciated this attention to detail.   
  
"This is perfect, John. You have no idea. I'm starving, but I'm too tired to go anywhere."   
  
The bellhop arrived with their luggage, and Abby looked longingly at her suitcase, which held even more comfortable clothes than the ones she was wearing. Carter saw that wistful look and suggested,  
  
"Why don't we change into sweats? It's a little chilly tonight, and there's a pretty strong breeze out there on the balcony." Abby wrapped her arms around him looked up at him adoringly.   
  
"You're sure you don't mind spending our first meal as a married couple with me in my ratty Northwestern sweatshirt?"  
  
"Of course not," he replied, and kissed the top of her head fondly. They pawed through their luggage to find their most comfortable clothes and changed quickly.   
  
Now comfortably clad in cozy sweatshirts and baggy sweat pants, Carter and Abby walked hand in hand out on the balcony to enjoy their late dinner.   
  
"So, what are we going to do during our fabulous two-day honeymoon?" Carter asked between bites.   
  
"Why don't we raid the mini-bar?" Abby asked, the picture of wide-eyed innocence. She immediately burst into hearty laughter when she saw the shocked expression on Carter's face. His expression of shock turned into a deep scowl, which caused Abby to laugh even harder.   
  
"That is NOT funny, Abby. Not in the least bit," he chastised.   
  
"I'm sorry," she answered, gasping for breath after her fit of laughter. "But you should have seen the look on your face...God, it was priceless!" Abby's laughter was infectious, and Carter couldn't control his lips no matter how hard he tried–they curved slowly upward into a wide grin.   
"Besides, mini-bars aren't just for alcohol, you know," Abby continued. "They usually have sodas and stuff...ooh, candy bars! I wonder if they have a Milky Way in there?" Carter laughed and shook his head.   
  
"Let's try and get through our dinner first before hitting the junk food. Now, seriously, what would you like to do for the next couple of days? Maybe rent some jet-skis, do some sunbathing..."  
  
"That sounds great. We can get up first thing tomorrow morning and spend the whole day outside on the beach. So, after we eat, we better get to sleep, don't you think? I mean, if we want to pack as much as we can into just two days, we'll need to get an early start."  
  
"Um...yeah, we'll need to get some rest. But you know, it's not really _that_ late...we could stay up a little later and still get a good night's sleep," Carter said, trying desperately to mask his disappointment.   
  
"Are you kidding? I'm exhausted. After we finish eating, I just want to crash. You don't mind, do you?" Abby pleaded. Carter was crushed that his wedding night was going to be without the standard "celebration", but he was willing to sacrifice anything for Abby.   
  
"That's fine with me. I guess I'm a little tired, too," he said in his best attempt at a nonchalant tone. Abby was unable to hold back her giggles any longer. Her laughter bubbled over, and Carter blinked, confused.   
  
"I'm kidding, John! Again, you really should have seen the look on your face. It's our wedding night...of course I'm not going to sleep right after dinner!" Carter groaned.   
  
"You're a barrel of laughs tonight, you know that?" he said, and playfully threw his napkin at her.  
  
"What can I say? Getting married must bring out the comedian in me." They ate a few bites of their dinner in silence, before Abby spoke in a soft voice.   
  
"John?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm sorry I've been acting so goofy," she offered timidly. "I didn't mean to...you know...suck all the romance out of our dinner. Everything is really beautiful. Thank you for arranging it."  
  
"Abby...sweetie, you don't have to apologize for anything. I wouldn't want to spend this dinner any other way. I love you for you, and that includes your incredibly lame sense of humor," Carter answered with a grin.   
  
"Hey," Abby protested. "Okay, I deserved that." They laughed and enjoyed the rest of their delicious meal. After they were done eating, Abby sauntered over to Carter's side of the table and leaned in close.   
  
"I may have to change for you again," Abby whispered seductively, a sly twinkle in her deep brown eyes. She made her way to the bathroom and a few minutes later emerged and took Carter's breath away.   
  
Her tanned skin was glowing in contrast to the silky, pale pink nightgown she wore. It was simple, with spaghetti straps so delicate they seemed they could give way at any moment, causing the gown to spill off of her body into a fluid pool of silk at her feet. The thought made him dizzy. Her hair was twisted onto the top of her head, held by a pearly clip. The neckline of her nightgown plunged, offering him a tantalizing view. She glided over to the bed where he was laying in anticipation.  
  
"Are you ready?" she asked huskily, giving him a mischievous wink. He gulped and caught his breath, nodding vigorously. Abby laughed softly, a dark, breathy sound that made Carter's blood pound even harder in his ears. As she arrived at the bedside, standing over him, he slid his hands down her sides and onto her hips, and gently pulled her on top of him, her tanned legs straddling his lap.   
  
He gently coaxed her mouth open with soft kisses, each one causing her lips to part a little more, until their tongues slid to mesh with one another, causing the pace of their kissing to quicken. Carter reached up and softly tugged the clip from her hair, releasing it's thick waves onto her shoulders. Carter held her closer, tighter, burying his head in her dark tresses and inhaling the intoxicating scent, what seemed to be a mixture of flowers and hair spray and night air.   
  
"God, I love you," he whispered passionately, fiercely, the sound of his voice muffled against her hair. She pulled back to look at him, both hands caressed his cheeks softly, and staring deep into his eyes she whispered back,  
  
"You can't even begin to imagine how much I love you."

--Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! More to come soon!


	15. Chapter 15

Abby sighed as she struggled with a mountain of laundry. She jammed endless tiny cotton clothing into the machine, thinking after each armful that there certainly couldn't be anymore, but she had yet to see the bottom of the laundry basket. Who knew that an 11-month-old baby could generate so much filthiness? Every piece of clothing seemed to be decorated with dribbles of apple sauce and gummy patches of dried-up rice cereal. Abby finally tossed the last of the clothes into the washer and slammed the lid shut. The washer started up, groaning in protest, sounding like it was about to vomit onesies and bibs and little overalls all over the laundry room floor. Abby sighed, blowing the air from her mouth upward to try to dislodge the wisps of hair that had fallen in her eyes. She went to check on Eve, who was playing angelically with her brand new set of plastic blocks.   
  
Abby took a long, critical look around the living room, and then wished that she hadn't. The myriad of colorful plastic toys made her feel frenzied and claustrophobic. It was impossible to feel at all peaceful in a room that was so horribly cluttered, but Abby couldn't bring herself to bend down and pick up the toys. She just couldn't. Besides, Carter would be home shortly and it was time to start dinner. She was actually going to cook tonight–she'd had enough of take-out food. No matter how carefully she chose from the menus, trying to select healthy meals that included at least some semblance of a vegetable, everything always ended up being too greasy and heavy.   
  
Abby pulled boxes and jars from the counter (she had told Carter she was going to cook, but she never said anything was going to be made from scratch) and a bag of frozen broccoli from the freezer. Then she reached into the cabinet below her, wincing at the sharp clatter of metal on metal as she freed a couple of pots and pans and hoisted them onto the stove. "Now," she told herself, "just take it easy, read the directions, and do it one step at a time. Nothing to it."   
  
Fifteen minutes later, Abby was wringing her hands as pots bubbled over with boiling water and the air above the stove grew steamy. "Okay, what's wrong with this picture?" she said out loud. "I can handle orders for a dozen different labs during massive traumas, so why in the hell can't I follow the directions on a box of rice?" Eve squealed and banged her blocks together in reply. Abby sighed a deep, gusty sigh and turned her attention back to her science experiment on the stove.   
  
Abby measured, poured, and let loose a few streams of censored curse words ("fudge" and "darn it" and "shoot" had to suffice in order to protect Eve's innocent little ears.) Finally, after all was said and done, Abby's end result was a baked chicken dinner with rice and broccoli. A pretty basic meal, truth be told, but a satisfying accomplishment for the novice cook. All that was left was to do was to set the table and wait for Carter to get home–he had told her that morning that he would be home no later than 7:15 p.m.   
  
At 7:10 p.m., Abby fussed with the placement of silverware and napkins on the dining room table. At 7:22, she tipped the pot lid to take a look at the rice and got hit in the face with a burst of steam. At 7:34, Abby put an extra layer of foil over top of the chicken, carefully creasing it to make sure that none of the warmth escaped the baking dish. At 7:41, she zapped the now cold and limp broccoli in the microwave, adding an extra pat of butter for good measure. Her irritation was doubling with each passing minute.   
  
Finally, at 8:30 p.m., a set of keys jangled in the doorknob. Carter was home, and Abby was well past angry. She was furious. She carefully stepped over Eve, who had curled up and gone to sleep on a blanket on the living room floor, and yanked the door open before Carter even had a chance to turn the knob.   
  
"What smells so good?" he asked innocently, apparently oblivious to the daggers Abby was shooting him with her eyes.   
  
"Oh, I don't know...I guess it's what would have been dinner," Abby snapped. "You told me 7:15, no later...remember?"   
  
"Come on, Abby. You know how it is. I got caught up with a patient. I don't exactly keep banker's hours," Carter replied, less than thrilled to be greeted at the door in this manner. Abby sighed, still frustrated, but she had to admit that she understood.   
  
"Let's just eat," she said, softening a bit. Carter went to the kitchen sink to wash his hands as Abby brought the food from the stove top to the table. The couple sat down and began to serve themselves their meal.   
  
Carter, who was starving, speared a couple of pieces of broccoli and put them on his plate. He couldn't help but notice that they looked a little withered and soggy. He wisely kept his opinion to himself and took a chicken breast from the serving dish. It actually looked quite appetizing. He then reached for the bowl and tried to spoon himself some rice.   
  
The rice, which had grown gummy from too much time sitting in the pot on the stove, adhered to the spoon like Super-glue. He tried shaking the spoon, gently at first, and then vigorously, yet it refused to drop onto his plate. He tried scraping it off of the serving spoon using his own spoon, but it still would not cooperate, and instead stuck in a gooey clump to the other spoon. Carter started to laugh.   
  
"Way to go with the rice, Abby," he teased. "I think you've invented the next industrial-strength adhesive."   
  
Abby glared at him and slapped her fork onto the table. With a vicious clang, it bounced from the table to the floor. She jumped up from her chair, grabbed the bowl of rice, and proceeded to try to dump the sticky mess into the garbage disposal. However, the rice would not dislodge from the bowl. She shook it with all of her strength, and still it clung, refusing to pour into the sink. Abby slammed the bowl on the counter and spun around to find Carter standing behind her, desperately trying to control his fit of laughter.   
  
"I'm sorry," he said. "I was just kidding. You didn't have to throw it out...well, I mean try to throw it out," he couldn't resist adding.   
  
"It would have been fine an hour and a half ago," Abby snapped. "For some reason, you seem to have forgotten how to use a phone. Maybe it would have been considerate of you to call me and tell me to hold off on making dinner. But that's right, I forgot...you only think about yourself."  
  
"Hey," Carter replied, his tone of voice growing angrier to match Abby's. "Maybe I should have called, but I didn't deserve that last remark." Eve began to stir, making soft fussing noises from her nest on the living room floor.  
  
"I'm sick of it, John! You seem to take everything I do around this house for granted...the laundry, watching Eve, making dinner..."  
  
"Don't you mean ordering dinner, Abby? This is the first night you've cooked in I don't know how long." Carter wouldn't normally have dealt his wife such a low blow, but he'd had an especially rough day at the hospital, and he hadn't exactly come home to the warmest reception.   
  
"Well, excuse me, John. I'll be sure to sign up for some cooking classes first thing tomorrow," Abby retorted, raising her voice over Eve's cries, which were growing louder and louder.   
  
"Yeah, why don't you do that. Maybe they'll start by teaching you some of the basics, like...oh, I don't know...making rice, for instance?" Abby groaned.   
  
"Oh, you're hilarious, John. Just hilarious. Thanks for criticizing me for trying to..." Abby was cut off by Eve's piercing wails.   
  
"Ma...ma...ma..." she cried, toddling into the kitchen on chubby, wobbling legs.  
  
"Eve..." Abby gasped. Carter's mouth dropped open.   
  
"She's...she's walking. When...how long..." Carter stammered in shock.   
  
"This is the first time," Abby whispered, her eyes moistening with tears. "She's pulled herself up in her crib before, but she's never..." Abby trailed off as Eve walked again, taking uneven steps towards her parents with outstretched arms. Carter and Abby leaned down to scoop their daughter up, and holding her between them they showered her plump cheeks with kisses. They caught each other's eyes over the top of Eve's head.   
  
"I'm sorry," whispered Carter. Abby shook her head.   
  
"No, I'm sorry," she replied softly. With that, their silly argument was abandoned. They leaned into each other and kissed tenderly, and then set Eve back down to let her show off her new skill once more.   
  
"I'll go get the video camera," Carter said with a proud smile, and rushed off to dig the camera out of their hall closet. Abby beamed, completely dazzled by the sight of her beautiful daughter standing on her own two feet. 


End file.
